Sebastian Stan is seemingly joining the cast of The Batman – Part II, and his rumored role is very similar to his iconic character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After having played Bucky Barnes in the MCU, news broke that Sebastian Stan is being eyed for a key role in The Batman – Part II. No details were confirmed at the time, though many rumors pointed to him being one of the film’s villains, with the popular theory being that Stan would play Harvey Dent / Two-Face, one that Stan’s stylist might have accidentally revealed.
If Stan is playing Harvey Dent, that feels similar to Stan’s role as The Winter Soldier, specifically in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. When it comes to MCU films, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is seen as one of the best entries in the franchise. Many are hoping that The Batman – Part II can not only match the superhero sequel but also surpass it. Here is what connects and differentiates The Winter Soldier and Two-Face, and how The Batman – Part II and Captain America: The Winter Soldier might be similar movies.
Similarities Between The Winter Soldier and Two-Face
Both Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier and Harvey Dent / Two-Face have some interesting similarities. Both are former allies of the title hero (Captain America/Batman) who are eventually turned into villains that serve as a motivating trauma for the hero. Both The Winter Soldier and Two-Face featured a fractured psyche, with The Winter Soldier being a brainwashed assassin under HYDRA’s control, while Two-Face has dissociative identity disorder, where he can only make decisions based on the flip of a coin.
There are some notable differences between the two characters. Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier might have been the antagonist for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but the movie is all about the character finding redemption. In both the comics and the MCU, Bucky Barnes was only a temporary Captain America antagonist who later finds himself on the side of heroes, where he is more commonly associated as an ally.
Two-Face, on the other hand, is one of Batman’s most enduring foes. Most of the comics have retconned and fleshed out Harvey Dent’s political career before becoming a villain, but his role in most Batman media and the comics is to be a tragic foe. Even in the few brief moments that Harvey Dent has overcome his Two-Face persona, he always reverts to his default status. Due to the nature of films versus comics, Matt Reeves could give his version of Harvey Dent a redemptive ending, though that raises a question. If Stan is playing the role, would he want to take on a character so similar to the one he has already played for over a decade in the MCU?
Can ‘The Batman – Part II’ Be as Good as ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’?
The Batman – Part II and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in theory, would be drastically different films, as The Batman – Part II is looking to continue the very grounded crime drama that Matt Reeves established with The Batman and was continued by Lauren LeFranc on The Penguin. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a drastic tonal shift from Captain America: The First Avenger, with Joe and Anthony Russo taking over from director Joe Johnston. Captain America: The Winter Soldier put a lot of emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, while The Batman – Part II would likely not have Harvey Dent / Two-Face being a physical opponent for Batman the way the Winter Soldier was for Captain America.
However, the rumored involvement of The Court of Owls in The Batman – Part II creates an interesting comparison to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The Court of Owls is a mysterious secret society that has been operating in Gotham’s high society for years, slowly manipulating events. This is very similar to HYDRA in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which grew within S.H.I.E.L.D. after World War II and infiltrated numerous high-ranking positions, from S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to politicians. Sebastian Stan might find himself starring in two superhero sequels that feature a hero who wears a half mask, fighting a shadowy organization, with Stan playing a former ally-turned-villain of the hero.
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